ORGENTEC Diagnostika GmbH

Autoantibody Diagnostics in Autoimmune Liver Diseases

ORGENTEC Diagnostika (www.orgentec.com) has developed four new laboratory tests for the diagnosis of autoimmune liver diseases. These tests are now on the market. They are based on ELISA technology and were specifically developed for fully automated analysis with Alegria®.

The new tests systems, called Anti-Sp100, Anti-gp210, Anti-LKM-1, and Anti-SLA, reliably detect specific autoantibodies that are characteristic of various autoimmune liver diseases. The tests thus also allow for reliable differentiation between these autoimmune diseases and other diseases of the liver, such as viral infections, based on blood samples.

Autoimmune liver diseases are caused by a malfunctioning immune system. This category of diseases includes autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). As it is mostly the case, these diseases are treatable if they are detected early; if left untreated, they can lead to severe symptoms and considerable damage to the liver.

If a physician is dealing with ambiguous symptoms or needs to clarify unusual blood values, the detection of characteristic autoantibodies provides a clear indicator of autoimmune liver diseases. For instance, if Sp100 or gp210 antibodies are detected, it is most likely a case of primary biliary cirrhosis. Antibodies against LKM-1 or SLA are indicative of autoimmune hepatitis.

The triggers of autoimmune liver disease are largely unknown. They may be caused by previous or on-going infections. It is also possible that genetic predisposition may favour the development of these disorders.

For the first time, these newly introduced laboratory tests, Anti-SP100, Anti-gp210, Anti-LKM-1, and Anti-SLA, allow for the individualised, rapid, and fully automated detection of the corresponding autoantibodies. They are suitable for cost-efficient differential diagnostics or for the differentiation of positive screening results from other ELISA, immunoblot tests or immunofluorescence assays.

Based in Mainz, ORGENTEC Diagnostika is a global leader in the development and marketing of test systems for autoimmune diagnostics and serological tests for infectious disease. ORGENTEC has developed numerous highly specific ELISA test systems, immunoblot and immunofluorescence tests, the Alegria® random access analyser, and the rheumachec® rapid test. – www.orgentec.com